Automatic coupler for toy or model railroad cars



Nov. 4, 1941. G. G. KINNEAR 2,261,258

AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR TOY OR MODEL RAILROAD CARS Filed June 30, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l \wt VII. m an 3 f Z 505015 4'. Kl/VNEAR INVENTOR TTORNEY Nov. 4, 1941. KINNEAR 2,261,258

AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR TOY OR MODEL RAILROAD CARS Filed June 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GEO]? GE G. KIN/YEAR INVENTOR TTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 1941 unrrn STATES Farsi OFF-ICED AUTOMATIC COUPLER FOR TOY OR MODEL RAILROAD CARS George G. Kinnear, Rumford, R. I.

Application June 30, 1939, Serial No. 282,147

' coupling means as they are actuated to uncouple 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic couplers for toy or model railroad cars and more particularly to coupling means and actuating means therefor whereby the cars may be coupled and uncoupled automatically and without the use of expensive and complicated equipment.

The invention has to do with devices of this character which employ a ramp for actuating the coupling means and a principal object is to provide yieldable elements which when uncoupling is not desired permit the coupling means to engage and pass along the ramp without uncoupling the cars and without tending to lift them off the tracks.

Another object of the invention relates to the provision of couplers having yieldable means, whereby they are capable of operation to disengage the couplings or of yielding without disengagement of the couplings according to the result desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a car coupling mechanism adapted for selective operation at the point of its actuation to either uncouple the cars or hold them coupled together at the will of the operator.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a coupling mechanism of a coupling member in the form of an elbow lever having a yieldable. spiral portion connecting the arms'to provide for yieldable movement of the arms relative to each other independently of their common movement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various improved details of construction and novel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow:

Referring to the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a railroad track, showing a coupling actuating ramp and two coupled cars with'portions of the coupling means shown in partially engaged relation with the ramp;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the coupling means carried by one car, illustrated in its relation with the car;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the car and coupling;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the coupling means shown in Figs. 2 and 3, illustrating the manner of attaching the same to the car frame;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the positions of the the cars;

Fig. 6 is 'a detail side elevational view of a modified form of the invention, showing modified coupling means in operative relation with'a ramp under conditions wherein they are not being actuated to'uncouple the cars;

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the coupling means shown in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view, similar to that shown in Fig. 6, illustrating the positions of the movable parts of the coupling devices relative to each other at approximately the time of their disengagement under the influence of the ramp.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1

to5 of the drawings, I designates the rails of a may have one or both of its ends securedto certain of the ties 5, as by fastening means 6, and may be of such a character as will permit its being shaped readily by the user to provide a contact surface of sufiicient longitudinal extent and suitably elevated for actuating the coupling means after the manner shown and described.

A form of ramp which has been found particularly useful is one made of Celluloid and secured only at one end. Such a ramp is resiliently yieldable. It is too stiii to yield under the light loads imposed by the coupling members and yet 1 will yield and more nearly flatten out under the pressure of a low-hung truck on an engine. This permits such an engine to pass over the ramp. without being displaced or its wheels momentarily lifted off the rails. After such a low-hung truckhas passed, the ramp returns to its higher position where it may engage the depending coupling members. Because of the normally higher position of the ramp the depending coupling members can be arranged to clear cross rails at intersections or near switches.

Toy railroad cars 9 and I0, suitably coupled together, are shown as supported by the usual trucks II which may be mounted for'swivelling movement relative thereto by means of any suitable king-bolt structures l2 carried by the car frames. The cars 9 and H) are each provided with similar coupling devices, indicated generally by I5, which are preferably attached to or connected with the base portion of each car so as to be capable of cooperative engagement under all conditions and regardless of the angular positions which may be assumed by the swiveled trucks, as in passing over a curved portion of the track.

Each coupling device [5 comprises a coupling plate I! which may be secured to the base Hi of the car in any suitable manner as by means of an attaching bolt 9. Each coupling plate may be provided with an inclined face portion 20 adapted for engagement with a similar inclined face portion of a correspondingly positioned coupling plate carried by another car, as well as a shoulder 2| similarly positioned for engagement with a corresponding shoulder upon a cooperating coupling plate. Each coupling plate I! is provided with a laterally extending bar 22, which may be positioned below and project outwardly from the inclined face 20 of the coupling plate in such a manner that the bars 22 of interengaging coupling plates will be located in substantial parallelism with each other when in coupled relation after the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. Each coupling plate I! may support a transversely extending shaft 24 projecting outwardly therefrom upon the side opposite to the inclined face 20. A coupling member 25 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 24 and may comprise a spirally wound intermediate portion 26 fitting around the shaft 24 and having divergently arranged arms 21 and 28 extending outwardly from the spiral portion 26 substantially radially of the'axis of the shaft 24. The arm 21 is provided with an end hook 30 having an inturned portion 3| to engage beneath, and a cam face 32 adapted to ride over, the bar 22 carried by a cooperating coupling plate, and the arm 28 may be provided with a looped or rounded end portion 33 adapted for engagement with the ramp 2.

In this form of the invention and when employed in connection with toy or model trains of the usual character mounted to run upon a continuous circular or oval track having side tracks, yards or other switching facilities, ramps 2 may be located in suitable relation with such switches or the like as to facilitate the coupling and uncoupling of cars for their disposition on sidings or in yards. A series of cars coupled together after the manner and by the means above described may be passed over the ramps 2 without actuating the coupling means to uncouple the same by reason of the yielding character of the arms 21 and 28 of the coupling members 25. As shown in Fig. 1, if traction or pull is being exerted on the cars, the rounded or looped end portion 33 and the arm 28 of the member 25 in passing over the ramp 2 is raised and tends to raise the arm 21, its end hook 353 and, because of the continued engagement of the inturned end 3| with the bar 22, tends also to lift the car off the track. But the yieldable feature of the improved coupling permits the arm 28 to swing upward without exerting sufficient force on the bar 22 to disturb the relation of the car with the track rails. Accordingly, when the cars are under the influence of traction, the arms 28 are merely forced towards thearms 21 by contact with the ramp 2 Without disengaging the hooks 30 from their bars 22 and without exerting any appreciable lift on the cars themselves. This avoids any separation of the wheels from the tracks.

If on the contrary, it is desired to uncouple the cars when passing over the ramp, the cars may be stopped when both coupling means are above the ramp. This usually results in a slight movement of the cars relatively towards each other, and if not the cars may be so moved to bring them close enough together to disengage the inturned ends 3| from the bars 22, whereupon the arms 21 and end hooks 3|] will assume the positions shown in dot-and-dash outline in Fig. 5. In this way the cars may be uncoupled automatically and one of them withdrawn, while another similarly equipped car may be returned and coupled with the car remaining over the ramp by pushing the cars backwardly a sufficient distance to clear the ramp and thus allow the coupling members to reengage. After thus coupling the remaining car to another car both of them may again be pulled over the ramp without uncoupling so long as the passage over the ramp is continuous.

From the above it will be seen that the present invention provides an automatic means for selective operation in coupling or uncoupling cars of this character capable of actuation at the will of the user whereby the operation of uncoupling when passing over a ramp may or may not occur dependent entirely upon the desire of the operator, thus permitting the use of the ramps 2 at any desired location as in that part of the track which is used as a main line, without uncoupling any cars of main line trains when passing thereover unless such operation is specifically desired.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the arms 2! and 28 as well as the spiral intermediate portion 26 which is mounted on the shaft 24, are shown as formed of wire which may be of a resilient character and provides for more or less yielding action, not only within the spirally wound portion 26 but throughout the extent of the arms 21 and 28. This increases the yieldability of the free ends of the arms 21 and 28 towards and from each other and provides for a relatively wide movement of the arm ends without releasing the coupling connections.

The coupling member 25, as shown, is in the form of an elbow lever whereby the arms 2'! and 28 are so positioned as to extend radially or substantially radially from the axis of the shaft 24, and the free ends of the arms 21 and 28 are caused to move towards each other substantially along arc-shaped paths about the axis of the shaft 24 as pressure is exerted on the arm 28 in passing over the ramp 2. The wound portion 26 should be sufficiently free with respect to the shaft 24 to permit the member 25 to always swing downward under the influence of gravity when the arms 28 are not engaged by a ramp.

Inthat form of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 of the drawings, each coupling device 40 may comprise a coupling plate 4| adapted to be mounted on the base of the car in any suitable manner as by means of a .bolt (not shown) which may pass somewhat loosely through either hole 4| a or 4|b in the plate 4|, thus providing for the horizontal swivelling of the coupling. Each plate 4| is provided with faces 43 adapted for cooperative engagement and has a transverse bar 44 serving as a keeper and suitably positioned for engagement by the hooked end of a coupling member arm associated with or forming a part of a cooperating coupling device. Each coupling plate 4| may be provided with a transverse shaft 46 for supporting a spiral winding 41 forming a part of a coupling member 48.

Each coupling member 48 may comprise a rigid arm 49 mounted for oscillation on the shaft 45 and having inturned cars 50 extending over and serving as keepers for divergent end portions 52 and 53 of the spiral winding 41, the portion 52 of which extends outwardly to form the arm 54 of the coupling member 48. The arms 49 and 54 together with the spiral winding 4'! are thus connected to form the coupling member 48 which is mounted for oscillation on the shaft 46, in a manner similar to that shown in the form previously described.

The arm 54 is provided with an end hook 59 having a cam face 57 adapted to engage and slide over the bar 44 carried by a cooperating coupling device and an inturned end 58 extending beneath the bar 44 and adapted for engagement therewith, all in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. Each rigid arm 49 may be provided with a rounded end portion 59 for contact with the ramp 2, after the manner previously described.

In this, as in the form of the invention previously shown, the coupling members 48 are characterized in their operation by being capable of yielding when the rounded end portion 59 01 the rigid arm 49 rides over the ramp 2 without disengaging the hooked end 56 of the arm 54 from its operative connection with the transverse bar 44 carried by the cooperating coupling device and without causing any lifting of the cars. This is accomplished through the yielding character of the spiral Winding 41, a portion of which forms the arm 54. The spirally wound portion may be made increasingly effective through a loose connection of the cars 55 with the divergent ends 52 and 53 to permit yielding action of the divergent arms 49 and 54 towards and from each other when the rigid arm 49 is raised by the ramp to permit relatively wide movement of the arm ends with respect to each other without disengaging the hooked end portion of the arm 54 from the corresponding transverse bar 44.

The operation of the mechanism shown in Figs. 6, '7, and 8 is similar in all respects to that previously described. As the cars are passed over the ramp 2 in a continuous manner and with the exertion of a constant traction pull, the rounded ends 59 of the arms 49 are engaged and pressed upwardly by the ramp, but the inturned ends 58 of the arms 54 engage beneath the bars 44 and are held against upward movement to disengage the bars 44. The arms 49 and 54 are permitted to move towards each other by the yielding character of the spiral winding 41 and the arm 54. When the movement of the cars is halted with the rounded ends 59 of the arms 49 in contact with the raised portion of the ramp, the cars may approach each other, or be made to do so by backing slightly, sufiiciently to release the inturned ends 58 of the arms 54 from engagement with the bars 44 and the arms 54 are raised to disengage the hooked ends 55 from the bars 44 and uncouple the cars as shown in Fig. 8.

I claim:

1. A car coupling mechanism comprising coupling means carried by adjacent car ends for cooperative engagement in coupling and uncoupling the cars; one of said coupling means having a coupling plate with a keeper, a supporting shaft, a coupling member pivotally mounted upon said shaft having divergent arms extending outwardly from said shaft, one of which arms is engageable with the coupling means on the adjacent car, and coupling member actuating means engageable by one of said arms to move it toward the other of said arms; said coupling member having a yield-ableportion whereby the free ends of said divergent arms are yieldable towards each other to permit movement of the arm ends relative to each other independently of movement of said coupling member about its supporting shaft.

2. A car coupling mechanism comprising coupling devices carried by adjacent car ends for cooperative engagement in coupling and uncoupling the cars, each of said coupling devices comprising a coupling plate, a keeper and a pivotally supported coupling member having spaced arms extending outwardly from the axis of pivotal support of the coupling member, and coupling member actuating means engageable by one arm of each coupling member to move said arm toward the other arm, and the said other arm of each coupling member being provided with a hooked end for engagement with the keeper of the cooperating coupling device, and a yieldable connection between the arms of each coupling member whereby the ends of said arms are capable of yielding movement towards and from each other.

3. A car coupling mechanism comprising coupling devices carried by adjacent car ends for cooperative engagement in coupling and uncoupling the cars, each of said coupling devices comprising a coupling .plate, a keeper, and a pivotally supported coupling member having spaced arms extending outwardly from the axis of pivotal support of the coupling member, one arm of each coupling member being provided with a hooked end for engagement with the keeper of the cooperating coupling device, a yieldable connection between the arms of each coupling member whereby the ends of said arms are capable of yielding movement towards and from each other, and coupling member actuating means engageable by one arm of each coupling member for displacing the engaged arm towards the arm having a hooked end; the said yieldable connection yielding to prevent disengagement of the said hooked end from the keeper of the other coupling device while the cars are being drawn past said actuating means.

4. A car coup-ling mechanism comprising coupling devices carried by adjacent car ends for cooperative engagement in coupling and uncoupling the cars, each of said coupling devices comprising a coupling plate, a keeper and a pivotally supported coupling member provided with divergent arms extending outwardly substantially radially from its point of pivotal support, and coupling member actuating means engageable by one arm of each coupling member to move said arm toward the other arm, and the said other arm of each coupling member being provided with an end portion shaped for locking engagement with the keeper of the cooperating coupling device, and yieldable means forming a portion of each coupling member whereby the free ends of its divergent arms are movable towards and from each other when engaged with said actuating means.

5. A car coupling mechanism comprising coupling devices carried by adjacent car ends for cooperative engagement in coupling and uncoupling the cars, each of said coupling devices comprising a coupling plate, a keeper, and a pivotally supported coupling member provided with divergent arms extending outwardly substantially radially from its point of pivotal support, one arm of each coupling member being provided with an end portion shaped for locking engagement with the keeper of the cooperating coupling device, yieldable means forming a portion of each coupling member whereby the free ends of its divergent arms are movable towards and from each other when under pressure, and coupling member actuating means engageable by the other of said arms for moving the end of said last named arm towards the keeper engaging end of said first named arm.

6. In a car coupling mechanism adapted for selective operation in uncoupling cars, the combination with coupling devices carried by the ends of adjacent cars and each comprising a coupling plate, a keeper, and a pivotally supported coupling member having divergent arms yieldably movable towards and from each other, one arm of each coupling member being provided with means for engagement with the keeper of the cooperating coupling device while continuous traction pull is exerted upon the cars, of means temporarily efiective during movement of the cars for engagement with the other arm of said coupling member to displace the same towards said first named arm while the end of said first arm is in engagement with its keeper during continuous movement of the cars, and effective upon relative movement of the cars for releasing the end of said first arm from engagement with its keeper.

7. In a coupling mechanism for cars, the combination with cooperating coupling plates swivelly mounted on adjacent cars and each provided with a keeper member, of horizontal transverse shafts carried by adjacent coupling plates, and coupling members mounted on said shafts and each comprising a spirally wound portion sleeved upon the shaft and having end portions forming extensions of the spiral portion and projecting outwardly substantially radially of the axis of the shaft, means carried by one of said extensions engageable with said keeper, and means carried by the other extension adapted for operative engagement with a coupling release actuating means.

8. In a coupling mechanism for railroad cars, the combination with a keeper associated with one car, of a coupling member mounted on an adjacent car and engageable with said keeper to couple said cars together; said coupling member comprising means providing for oscillation of said member relative to said keeper, including arms extending substantially radially of the axis of oscillation of said member and movable in planes at substantially right angles thereto, coupling member actuating means engageable by one of said arms to move said arm toward the other of said arms, and yieldable means connecting said arms whereby they are capable of yielding movement relative to each other and within their planes of movement.

GEORGE G. KINNEAR. 

